The Caribbean Premier League season draws to a close on Saturday evening when the Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents face off for the title at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Tarouba.
These two sides opened up the play-offs at the start of the week and they will close off the tournament with the Amazon Warriors aiming for their first title and the Tridents looking to win it for a second time.
Guyana Amazon Warriors
Not only are the Guyana Amazon Warriors looking to win the title for the first time here but they are also aiming to complete the perfect season. They have played 11 matches in the tournament to date and they have won them all. It would be unprecedented if they win this and complete the perfect campaign but the way that they are playing it shouldn’t be ruled out. Three of those 11 wins have come against the Tridents which should give them a lot of confidence.
You want to say the Amazon Warriors have bowled their way to this position but that would be unfair on their batsmen who have delivered the goods as well. In fact, Guyana go into this final with all their units looking in good order. What I’ve liked about them is they have had a sustained plan which they have never had to deviate from such has been the quality they have shown with it.
Barbados Tridents
It took them two attempts but the Barbados Tridents made it through to this final, which is the result they should have achieved having made it into second position in the league table. They held their nerve nicely in the pressurised environment of the second qualifier on Thursday evening which will stand them in good stead here. They have taken three decent beatings by Guyana though so they need to come up with something different.
Unlike with Guyana, I think it is perfectly fair to suggest that it is the bowlers have got the Barbados Tridents through to the final. The only time they have looked in any way at home with the bat in recent matches was the first qualifier and that was partly down to the fact they were chasing well over 200 and had nothing to lose. If their batting can fire here though, they know they have the attack to get the job done.
Place 5 accumulators either in a Boylesports shop or online and get an acca free! Click the image above to bet. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Team News
Given that they keep on winning and were so dominant last time out it would be a surprise if the Guyana Amazon Warriors suddenly make too many changes. They might bring an extra seamer in but that would be it.
Barbados Tridents could be forced into a change after JP Duminy exited the semi-final early with what looked to be a leg injury. The physios will have been working on him but with less than 48hrs between the two games his participation must be in doubt.
Betting
We are already on the Guyana Amazon Warriors to win this match having backed them at 11/2 to win the tournament prior to the event starting and nothing I have seen in the competition to date suggests we have no chance of collecting on that. Barbados Tridents might well have seen their chances of this final hampered with that JP Duminy injury reducing what is already a batting line up not firing on all cylinders.
The one bet I like in this match is for the Guyana Amazon Warriors to hit the most sixes. They have six hitters throughout their ranks and arguably the most powerful top six in the competition. They certainly look to have more power at their disposal than their opponents here which could be key. Earlier in the week Guyana won the sixes battle 17-13 and in the regular season that discipline ended 13-3 to the Amazon Warriors and was 5-4 to the Tridents when rain ended Guyana’s innings nine overs early in the other game. Guyana most sixes looks good to me.
I’ll also give Ashley Nurse to top score for the Barbados Tridents a small go. He just clobbered 24* in the semi-final from just nine balls and that might have earned him an elevation up the order. In the first meeting between these two sides Nurse top scored with 40 from 25 balls so there is nothing in this Guyana attack that should concern him. If JP Duminy is out it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world for Nurse to bat high and look to get the scoring rate going. However it plays out 50/1 is too big to ignore.
Tips
Back Guyana Amazon Warriors Most 6s for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Bet365
Back A.Nurse Top Barbados Tridents Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Bet365
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019
